"The sound of the kora, the West African harp, is a thrilling one, but when the playing is as good as this and tackling jazzier scales in lightning improvisations, then one is left gawping in wonder…. Here [Diabaté] keeps the jazz influences within a strong traditional instrumentation of balafon, acoustic guitar and percussion, though an acoustic bass does add the rich bottom. Some songs are old kora classics, others new ones by Mamadou himself. Try the lovely ballad 'African Orphans,' for example, written by the kora-player to remember all those children who have lost their parents to AIDS. It's both poignant and dignified in equal measure."—Birmingham Post

"Diabaté continues to push the boundaries of the kora beyond the limits of covention and tradition."—Sing Out!